LIQUID COOLANT LEAK PROTECTION FOR BATTERY MODULES OF AN ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM
In an embodiment, a cooling manifold for cooling battery modules in a battery housing of an electric vehicle is configured with a predetermined leak component arranged at a defined section of the cooling manifold that is outside of the battery housing. In response to crash forces, the predetermined leak component is configured to cause the liquid coolant to leak out of the defined section of the cooling manifold (e.g., to avoid flooding of the battery housing). In a further embodiment, a controller determines a pressure differential between inlet and outlet sides of a cooling tube of a battery module. A valve is configured to selectively shut off a flow of liquid coolant through the cooling tube based at least in part on whether the determined differential exceeds the threshold (e.g., indicative of a leak condition inside the battery module).
1 . A cooling manifold arrangement for cooling a plurality of battery modules arranged in a plurality of battery module compartments of a battery housing for an energy storage system of an electric vehicle, comprising:
a cooling manifold configured to carry liquid coolant to and from cooling tubes arranged inside the plurality of battery modules, the cooling manifold including a first plurality of cooling interfaces configured to be coupled to a plurality of cooling tube inlets of the plurality of battery modules and a second plurality of cooling interfaces configured to be coupled to a plurality of cooling tube outlets of the plurality of battery modules; and
a predetermined leak component arranged at a defined section of the cooling manifold that is outside of the battery housing, the predetermined leak component configured to cause the liquid coolant to leak out of the defined section of the cooling manifold in response to crash forces.
2 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined leak component corresponds to a cooling manifold section that is structurally weaker than one or more other sections of the cooling manifold and is configured to break before the one or more other sections in response to the crash forces.
3 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined leak component is an explosive mechanism that is configured to explode in response to the crash forces.
4 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the explosive mechanism is configured to explode in response to a control signal from a controller that is sent by the controller to the explosive mechanism in response to the crash forces.
5 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined leak component is a valve that is configured to open in response to the crash forces.
6 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the valve is configured to open in response to a control signal from a controller that is sent by the controller to the valve in response to the crash forces.
7 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 5 ,
wherein the valve is electrically controlled, or
wherein the valve is controlled with an electric magnet.
8 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 ,
wherein less than all of the liquid coolant leaks out of the defined section of the cooling manifold in response to the crash forces, and
wherein a desiccant material is further arranged to absorb some or all of any residual liquid coolant that leaks inside of one or more of the plurality of battery module compartments.
9 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the defined section is arranged at a lowest point of the cooling manifold.
10 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 ,
wherein the first plurality of cooling interfaces configured to be coupled to the plurality of cooling tube inlets of the plurality of battery modules outside of the battery housing, and
wherein the second plurality of cooling interfaces configured to be coupled to the plurality of cooling tube outlets of the plurality of battery modules outside of the battery housing.
11 . The cooling manifold arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the defined section is arranged within a cooling manifold section that includes the first plurality of cooling interfaces on an inlet side of the plurality of battery modules.
12 . A control mechanism configured to control cooling of a battery module, comprising:
a first pressure sensor configured to measure a first liquid pressure of liquid coolant in a coolant manifold on an inlet side of a cooling tube of a battery module;
a second pressure sensor configured to measure a second liquid pressure of the liquid coolant in the coolant manifold on an outlet side of the cooling tube of the battery module;
a controller configured to determine whether a differential between the first and second liquid pressures exceeds a threshold; and
a valve configured to selectively shut off a flow of the liquid coolant through the cooling tube based at least in part on whether the determined differential between the first and second liquid pressures exceeds the threshold.
13 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein a leak in the cooling tube is indicated when the differential between the first and second liquid pressures exceeds the threshold.
14 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the threshold is greater than an amount of pressure loss through the cooling tube that occurs when no leak is present in the cooling tube.
15 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the valve is an electrical valve, a magnetically controlled valve or a mechanical valve.
16 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the controller directs the valve to automatically shut off in response to a determination that the differential between the first and second liquid pressures exceeds the threshold.
17 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein, in lieu of automatically shutting off the valve, the controller sends an alert in response to a determination that the differential between the first and second liquid pressures exceeds the threshold.
18 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the valve is arranged on the inlet side of the battery module.
19 . The control mechanism of claim 12 , wherein a desiccant material is arranged to absorb some or all of any liquid coolant that leaks from the cooling tube of the battery module.